tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8608085463130516342017-07-29T05:44:47.069-04:00In Sam's Kitchen honest food from a simple cookSam Mnoreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-860808546313051634.post-20611413804488217092014-07-07T22:16:00.000-04:002014-07-07T22:16:53.198-04:00Summer Switch UpI have a confession to make. This New Englander has never been to a clambake. It's sad, really. I mean what's not to love about clams, sausage and all the trimmings cooked up and served right on the beach - one of my favorite places?<br /><br />I was really jonesing for all of the components of a clambake, but I didn't want to cook up everything individually just to serve myself. I was in the grocery store one afternoon, not knowing what to make for dinner, and I passed the seafood counter, eyeing the stuffed clams. That's when it hit me -- I have sausage in the freezer! I know you're wondering, where is she going with this? Random recipe ideas just hit me like that and I run with them. And I run far sometimes. Enter a deconstructed clambake in hash form. Oh yes. Why didn't I think of this sooner?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gj90eWslKyc/U7tTbpTCtJI/AAAAAAAAAf8/1oAB83VbRgk/s1600/20140628_201535_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gj90eWslKyc/U7tTbpTCtJI/AAAAAAAAAf8/1oAB83VbRgk/s1600/20140628_201535_resized.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Clambake Hash<br />Makes 1 serving<br /><br />Ingredients:<br />3 frozen stuffed clams<br />1 link pre-cooked sausage, cut into chunks (I used leftover spicy Lamb sausage)<br />2 Cippolini onions, peeled<br />Olive oil<br />1 Yukon gold potato, cut into chunks<br />Sweet corn<br /><br /><br />Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with foil.<br /><br />Drizzle the onions with olive oil and roast along side the clams and sausage for 15-20 minutes, or until all items are cooked through.<br /><br />Meanwhile, place the potato into a pot of water and bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender.<br /><br />Place all ingredients into a fry pan and saute until the potato and stuffed clams have crisped up.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Sam Mhttps://plus.google.com/111871624393356617461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-860808546313051634.post-12708179211393947592014-06-26T21:04:00.001-04:002014-06-26T21:35:10.876-04:00On A Chive KickI took my lunch break at the farmer's market today. It was such a nice treat to get outside and walk around after a busy morning. There were a bunch of vendors that I haven't seen before and I happily sampled my way through them. My favorites included non-dairy ice cream sold by an adorable mom and daughter duo (perfect on a 90 degree day) and grass fed ground beef, which was surprisingly succulent. Unfortunately they were just too expensive. That's the one problem I have with these markets. I'm all for supporting local, but I'm not made of money!<br /><br />I ended up with a bunch of garlic scapes, which I'm hoping to make into pesto, a head of kohlrabi, a small container of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Back-40-Farm/242213299319874" target="_blank">carrot miso dressing,</a> and some dry <a href="http://www.flourcitypasta.com/" target="_blank">garlic chive pappardelle.</a> The pasta was a splurge, but it sounded interesting. And the vendor was tying up the bunches with a beautiful ribbon. I couldn't resist :)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-stzj79mhx-0/U6zCtzlhIVI/AAAAAAAAAfs/day_iDlXPtk/s1600/20140626_123332_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-stzj79mhx-0/U6zCtzlhIVI/AAAAAAAAAfs/day_iDlXPtk/s1600/20140626_123332_resized.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div><br /><br />I thought about the pasta all afternoon and decided to have it with dinner. I cooked it up for 7 minutes, drizzled it with a little olive oil, minced chives and feta. It was so simple and so delicious. Just..yum. The feta was a little older and had a nice tang to it, which paired beautifully with the bite of the chives.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gHdHGFlmv7Q/U6zCW-z_GcI/AAAAAAAAAfk/KrsOYqbiDPY/s1600/20140626_194445_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gHdHGFlmv7Q/U6zCW-z_GcI/AAAAAAAAAfk/KrsOYqbiDPY/s1600/20140626_194445_resized.jpg" height="257" width="320" /></a></div><span id="goog_1320073322"></span><span id="goog_1320073323"></span><br />Sam Mhttps://plus.google.com/111871624393356617461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-860808546313051634.post-10303988931149861992014-06-21T21:22:00.001-04:002014-06-21T21:22:35.535-04:00Summery ClassicI always forget how much I enjoy a Caprese salad. It's so simple to put together, but I hardly make it. Perhaps because it most certainly requires firm, ripe tomatoes that only summer can produce. In honor of the first day of summer, I decided to treat myself.<br /><br />I made the salad a little different this time. Traditionally, basil forms the iconic trio, but I used chives instead. I saw them in the market and thought that the oniony note would be interesting. I was pairing the salad with a grilled portobello mushroom and I figured the heat from the mushroom would enhance the flavor of the chives, whereas I think it would have hindered that of the basil.<br /><br />I layered the slices of fresh mozzarella with beautiful heirloom tomato. I sprinkled the chives on top and drizzled the plate with a simple vinaigrette of EVOO, balsamic vinegar and some herbs.<br /><br />Post dinner, I was treated to the most beautiful sunset. Light pink clouds and an orange sun. Quite possibly the only time where pink and orange don't clash.<br /><br />The fireflies have also emerged, one even landed on my shirt. I'm always amazed by those things.<br /><br />Summer is here.Sam Mhttps://plus.google.com/111871624393356617461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-860808546313051634.post-37650362705660858762014-02-24T20:59:00.002-05:002014-02-24T20:59:49.046-05:00Farmer's Market Finds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I stopped by the farmer's market again this past Saturday. I was a little shy on cash, so I didn't pick up as much as I wanted, but I made sure to try things I hadn't gotten previously. I love that the winter markets are more than just produce, it's a nice way to muster through the winter.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.boxcarcantina.com/" target="_blank">Chicken tortilla soup</a>&nbsp;(fixings on the side)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.riverbankfarm.com/_/Home.html" target="_blank">Fresh applesauce</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://thelocalcatch.com/" target="_blank">Pepper smoked makerel</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e6wqo5O41gc/UwlXHuRvm9I/AAAAAAAAAfA/XHUct2YuPqw/s1600/20140222_134359_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e6wqo5O41gc/UwlXHuRvm9I/AAAAAAAAAfA/XHUct2YuPqw/s1600/20140222_134359_resized.jpg" height="320" width="273" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JHWOS6yPwk0/UwlXGhRqgeI/AAAAAAAAAe4/LwfYmES-ARQ/s1600/20140222_132942_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JHWOS6yPwk0/UwlXGhRqgeI/AAAAAAAAAe4/LwfYmES-ARQ/s1600/20140222_132942_resized.jpg" height="320" width="273" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both;"><br /></div>Sam Mhttps://plus.google.com/111871624393356617461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-860808546313051634.post-29859678591033798092014-02-22T14:56:00.001-05:002014-02-22T14:58:41.718-05:00First Time JuicingLately, a few of my friends have been on juicing kicks and I've been lucky enough to participate in the making of and drinking. I must say, there is an art to creating a juice blend that is balanced in flavor and actually tastes good. Not that any have been bad, per se, it's just some I'd rather have more than one glass of and some I wouldn't :) For example, there is a fine line in going overboard on greens before it becomes bitter and one tiny lime can overpower an entire liter of juice!<br /><br />This particular blend of fruits and veggies I thought was particularly refreshing and I hope you do too!<br /><br />1 apple<br />4 small kiwis<br />2 carrots<br />3 large stalks celery<br />1 in. knob of ginger, peeled<br />2 in. knob of turmeric, peeled<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iI4LzPkrQkQ/Uwj_cHN096I/AAAAAAAAAec/Tn3oS2ktubk/s1600/20140217_095040_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iI4LzPkrQkQ/Uwj_cHN096I/AAAAAAAAAec/Tn3oS2ktubk/s1600/20140217_095040_resized.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div><br />Sam Mhttps://plus.google.com/111871624393356617461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-860808546313051634.post-39159572722197031922014-02-20T22:06:00.000-05:002014-02-20T22:06:59.341-05:00Playing FavoritesIf someone asks you what your absolute favorite meal in the world is, would you know how to respond?&nbsp;Most people catch on quickly that I'm a food lover but I have a feeling if I'm ever faced with <i>that</i> question, much to people's surprise, I would hem and haw over it, make my quizzical "thinking face" and say something like pb&amp;j, making it sound more like a question to see if I'm right rather than a definitive answer. It's certainly the food I eat the most of, but is it really my favorite? Is it the meal I'd want to make my last?<br /><br />In order to narrow down to a list of my favorite foods (in the hopes of choosing my ultimate indulgence), I thought long and hard about what makes food good. Is it a comfort dish that has sweet memories attached to it? Is it the ambience of your dining experience? Or maybe the composition of the ingredients was so impeccably balanced that upon the first bite you smiled, closed your eyes and just enjoyed. Why that would be a big fat Yes, Yes and Yes. Crap, this is hard.<br /><br />In no particular order, here is a stream of consciousness smattering of my favorites. For my own clarification, these are foods I think about often enough so as to distinguish from other dishes that I simply just&nbsp;<i>like</i> a lot. There's a fine line.<br /><br /><br /><i>Homey &amp; Comforting</i><br /><ul><li>Pancakes -- plain, unadulterated fluffy flapjacks with frizzled ham on the side -- my Dad's sticky sweet breakfast creation involving thinly sliced strips of deli ham, sauteed up with maple syrup &amp; brown sugar. Oh yes.&nbsp;</li><li>Patties -- credit goes to my Mom on this one, she had three hungry children fighting over them. Leftover Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs and egg from making chicken strips bound together to form patties. Fry right along with the chicken.</li><li>Freshly baked soft pretzel with grainy mustard for dipping</li></ul><div><i>Good Ambiance and In Good Company</i></div><ul><li>Icelandic Snúður - the lovechild of a chocolate frosted yeast donut and a cinnamon roll</li><li>Reindeer carpaccio over arugula and shaved parmesan from&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hotelframnes.is/restaurant/" target="_blank">The Hotel Framnes</a></li><li>House charcuterie plate from&nbsp;<a href="http://www.danosonseneca.com/" target="_blank">Dano's</a></li></ul><div><i>Feeds My Soul</i></div><div><ul><li>Buckwheat crepes with a lemony herbed goat cheese and sauteed mushroom filling</li><li>Clam chowder&nbsp;</li><li>Nutella panini on sourdough bread, served warm</li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div>Well that was a fun exercise.<br /><br /></div><div>If I had to pick the most interesting dish I've ever eaten, hands down it would be the reindeer carpaccio from our first night in Iceland. It was beautifully composed and the flavors complimented each other perfectly. The meat was light and succulent and melted in my mouth. However, I don't think it would be my last meal. I hate to be ambiguous, but I would have to see if I was in a sweet or savory mood! Knowing me, though, I would probably humbly ask for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on soft whole wheat bread, with a heart drawn through the peanut butter for good measure, and be completely satisfied.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div>Sam Mhttps://plus.google.com/111871624393356617461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-860808546313051634.post-42194726526516574172014-02-02T15:03:00.001-05:002014-02-02T16:48:36.939-05:00Worldly Winter StewThis stew is a collaborative effort with my Ghanaian roommate. We both have a love of food, but we also have similar health issues, so this stew has lots of gut-healing ingredients. It's a mix and match kind of dish, with influences from Africa and India by way of Italy. A very international dish, don't you think?<br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vCM7AXzOqyc/Uu6jYrgHxTI/AAAAAAAAAbY/TJwmHDVHE8s/s1600/20140202_145318_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vCM7AXzOqyc/Uu6jYrgHxTI/AAAAAAAAAbY/TJwmHDVHE8s/s1600/20140202_145318_resized.jpg" height="400" width="268" /></a></div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><i>Ingredients:</i></div><div>1/2-1 lb goat meat, fat trimmed</div><div>4 cups chicken broth (or water and low-sodium chicken bouillon)</div><div>2 tsp turmeric</div><div>2 tsp ground ginger</div><div>salt to taste<br />1-2 tsp Adobo seasoning</div><div>1-2 tsp italian seasoning blend</div><div>1-2 tsp garlic powder</div><div>1 handful carrots, cut into 1 in. pieces</div><div>1 handful green beans, cut into 1 in. pieces</div><div>1 large white or orange sweet potato, cut into 1 in. pieces</div><div>1-2 tsp whole grain mustard</div><div>1/4-1/2 a cabbage, rough cut</div><div>2 oz. GF pasta</div><div><br /></div><div>(we didn't measure any of the spices, just sprinkled in enough until it looked right -- the pinch and pour method I grew up on)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2rxWMYgZkNw/Uu6jhLoeDpI/AAAAAAAAAbg/8H1b7otPBmg/s1600/20140202_144728_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2rxWMYgZkNw/Uu6jhLoeDpI/AAAAAAAAAbg/8H1b7otPBmg/s1600/20140202_144728_resized.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div><i>Directions:</i></div><div>Place the goat meat in cold broth/water with your spices and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and allow the meat to cook until it falls apart, about 2 hours (we didn't dice our meat ahead of time). Toward the end (about an hour and a half in), add the carrots, green beans and sweet potato along with the mustard. Skim the fat if there is any. Once the vegetables are tender, add the cabbage and pasta and cook until the pasta is al dente. Check your seasonings and adjust to taste.&nbsp;</div><div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sgOdDcyHtlc/Uu6jl7BPPMI/AAAAAAAAAbo/JSMXKJLcEgY/s1600/20140202_144909_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sgOdDcyHtlc/Uu6jl7BPPMI/AAAAAAAAAbo/JSMXKJLcEgY/s1600/20140202_144909_resized.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></div><div><br /></div></div></div></div>Sam Mhttps://plus.google.com/111871624393356617461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-860808546313051634.post-58853456726433215752014-02-01T22:38:00.000-05:002014-02-22T21:01:14.829-05:00Inspired againI've been inspired again to get back to the blog. Would you believe that after 5 months (whoops!) it was a tamale to get me back on here? I went to a winter farmers market this morning and there was a vendor selling freshly made Mexican food. I got a chicken tinga tamale and some guacamole to go for lunch. As soon as I got home, I opened the husk and the aroma and steam hit me. I took a bite and I'm pretty sure the world stopped for a minute. The tamales I've had in the past were good, but always, always dry. Not this one. It was moist and flavorful and fresh. I inhaled the rest, along with the guacamole, every bite reaffirming my love of good food. That's when I thought about the blog again.<br /><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3JXp3Y2rPqQ/Uu28Tvib09I/AAAAAAAAAbA/jogA-3WItWY/s1600/20140201_222400_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3JXp3Y2rPqQ/Uu28Tvib09I/AAAAAAAAAbA/jogA-3WItWY/s1600/20140201_222400_resized.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Please excuse the less than stellar cell-phone pic. These were my other finds from the market: <a href="http://www.wavehillbreads.com/" target="_blank">vegan trail mix cookies</a>, thick-cut <a href="http://www.oxhollowfarmct.com/" target="_blank">maple cinnamon bacon</a> and <a href="http://www.champagnetea.com/" target="_blank">turmeric kombucha</a>! Such a wide variety of vendors, it was awesome!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><br /></div><div>It's not that I haven't been cooking, just a lot has happened since my last post! Weeks were spent tending to those flowers I planted only to find that nothing but weeds would grow - just in case anyone was wondering... J and I traveled to Iceland and ate our way through the country (I suppose I should do a recap post on our foodie finds). I also moved about 30 miles closer to work. That was a big transition, to say the least. Then the holidays came and went, with lots of cookies being consumed. Seriously, lots. Even for breakfast. It was glorious. Not surprisingly, my stomach problems have flared up again.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm currently embarking on a elimination diet, getting rid of common allergens and then reintroducing foods one at a time to see what the culprit is. This is certainly the cleanest I've ever eaten, which is a pretty big accomplishment I think. But my love of good food has brought out my creativity in the kitchen and I refuse to let the lack of gluten, dairy, soy, peanuts (gasp! the horror), etc, get in the way of making a delicious meal.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>To go with my tamale lunch, I decided to go with a Mexican dinner. The star of the show was a stack of quinoa tortillas, adapted from <a href="http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-quinoa-tortillas/" target="_blank">this recipe</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>Yield: 3 tortillas (I scaled down to make this just enough for me)</div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Ingredients:</i></div><div>1 1/3 cups quinoa flour (I ground quinoa and measured out the proper amount)</div><div>1/4 cup GF flour blend (I used <a href="http://www.namastefoods.com/products/cgi-bin/products.cgi?Function=show&amp;Category_Id=all&amp;Id=13" target="_blank">Namaste Foods</a>)</div><div>1/3 tsp salt (not that I measured, I just used a little heaping pinch)</div><div>1/2 tsp olive oil&nbsp;</div><div>1/2 cup hot water (plus a little extra in case the dough is dry)</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Directions:</i></div><div>Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix until the dough holds together and is smooth. Divide into three dough balls.</div><div>If you happen to have a tortilla press, by all means break it out now! If you don't, flatten your dough balls slightly and place in between a piece of folded parchment paper. Grab a saucepan a press down on the dough until it's flat. Alternatively you could roll out the dough. I'm not able to get them super flat this way, but I really don't care. I like that they're a little thicker, it certainly makes them more filling.</div><div>Place tortillas in an ungreased pan on medium heat until they brown on one side. The recipe said to cook for 1 minute, but mine were a little thick, so they went about 5 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side. The charred bits are my favorite, so if you're with me on the slightly browned train, let them sit in the pan a little longer.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Easy, right? How have I not done this sooner? They are so flavorful, too. The salt is key to this recipe, in my humble opinion.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9O8Cef1D1ZY/Uu24pe0VkAI/AAAAAAAAAa0/ZibGV746yOE/s1600/20140201_205007_resized_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9O8Cef1D1ZY/Uu24pe0VkAI/AAAAAAAAAa0/ZibGV746yOE/s1600/20140201_205007_resized_1.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><i>No this isn't all I ate, just a late night snack of the leftovers! Pardon the nibbled tortilla on the top of the stack...</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div></div>Sam Mhttps://plus.google.com/111871624393356617461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-860808546313051634.post-11897099870601785782013-09-02T22:44:00.000-04:002013-09-06T20:03:10.909-04:00Our Garden Over-Groweth<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My mom has these beautiful patty pan squash in her garden that have grown to nearly the size of a baseball glove. Actually, my mom likened them to the size of my 2-year old nephew’s face, but since most of you don’t know my darling Eli, let’s just say for argument’s sake they’re large.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ac2ueXdg6FQ/UiVMiTU6NaI/AAAAAAAAAaU/2YpIW4XxD8Y/s1600/2013-08-11+10.38.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ac2ueXdg6FQ/UiVMiTU6NaI/AAAAAAAAAaU/2YpIW4XxD8Y/s320/2013-08-11+10.38.08.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />They are delicious on their own but we wanted to try something different other than sautéing them again. Last night I actually modified my morning glory muffins by adding in some shredded squash for extra nutrients. You can’t even taste the difference! But tonight the squash is getting stuffed. </div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><b>Stuffed Patty Pan Squash</b></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">Yield: 4-6 servings</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><i>Ingredients:</i></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">1 super-large patty pan squash (or 2 normal-sized ones)</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">1 lb ground turkey</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">1 med size onion, chopped</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">1 med size red bell pepper, chopped</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">1 pkg roasted garlic and pecan rice blend</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">golden raisins</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">spices of choice (I used garlic powder, oregano, paprika, grated lemon, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper)</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><i>Directions:</i></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">Preheat oven to 375<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Verdana; mso-symbol-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Symbol;">°</span></span>. Cut tops off the squash and remove seeds. Place in a casserole dish and bake for 10 minutes, or until soft. Lids of the squash can be on or off the bottoms, it doesn’t matter. Be careful not to let them burn or become wrinkled. </div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">Cook rice blend (or regular rice if you wish) according to package directions, using a little less water so that it under cooks slightly, adding in the golden raisins at the beginning of the cooking process so they plump. </div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">Meanwhile, sauté the ground turkey with the onion and pepper, adding in the spices as you go. Cook until the turkey is browned all the way through and season to taste. When both the rice and turkey are finished, combine the two in one pan and stir so they blend together.</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">By this time, the squash should be done par-baking. Remove the squash from the oven and fill with turkey and rice. </div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">Return to the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until squash is cooked through. You can test this by piercing the top of the squash with a fork. If it enters and exits easily, it’s dinner time!</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--9Zmq7Ku-ew/UiPUzWtZIVI/AAAAAAAAAZw/vn9L56jhceY/s1600/P1050793.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--9Zmq7Ku-ew/UiPUzWtZIVI/AAAAAAAAAZw/vn9L56jhceY/s320/P1050793.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IuxRyMFmZYI/UiPUzarerGI/AAAAAAAAAZs/WPP4_dp4HkE/s1600/P1050798.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IuxRyMFmZYI/UiPUzarerGI/AAAAAAAAAZs/WPP4_dp4HkE/s320/P1050798.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><o:p><br /></o:p></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>291</o:Words> <o:Characters>1664</o:Characters> <o:Company>WestConn</o:Company> <o:Lines>13</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>3</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>2043</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <!--EndFragment--><br /><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div>Sam Mhttps://plus.google.com/111871624393356617461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-860808546313051634.post-43342421744924392032013-07-06T08:14:00.000-04:002014-02-20T21:37:59.250-05:00Savory and Sweet, Switched UpI am so very thankful for the day off we had on Thursday. I felt so refreshed and ready to return to work yesterday, more so than after a normal weekend. After sleeping in (!) I whipped up a lovely brunch of bacon and waffles. Don't be fooled, this wasn't your average diner breakfast. The bacon was sweet and the waffles were savory. Enter candied maple bacon and cheddar waffles. If you've never tried savory waffles before, promise me you'll try them at least once. I was dubious the first time they were prepared for me, but the concept was interesting enough to give it a whirl. My goodness, they were so delicious, I was hooked!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-08mTXRHk5ZU/UdgJPSWo2UI/AAAAAAAAAYk/PeCGh3s1CZA/s1600/P1040996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-08mTXRHk5ZU/UdgJPSWo2UI/AAAAAAAAAYk/PeCGh3s1CZA/s400/P1040996.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Candied Maple Bacon and Cheddar Waffles</b></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Bacon recipe adapted from <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/claire-robinson/maple-candied-bacon-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">here</a>, waffle recipe adapted from Moosewood's Restaurant <a href="http://www.moosewoodcooks.com/products-page/cookbooks/moosewood-restaurant-new-classics/" target="_blank">cookbook</a>.</span></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><i>Bacon Ingredients:</i></div><div>1/2 lb thick-cut bacon (I used Trader Joe's uncured ends and pieces)</div><div>1/2 c maple syrup</div><div>freshly ground black pepper (pink peppercorns would work well here, too)</div><div>small dash of cayenne pepper</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Waffle Ingredients:</i></div><div>2/3 cup whole wheat flour</div><div>2/4 tsp baking soda</div><div>1 tsp baking powder</div><div>1/8 tsp salt</div><div>2 eggs</div><div>1 cup sourdough starter (unfed)*</div><div>2 T melted butter</div><div>1 T finely chopped scallions</div><div>1/2 tsp Dijon mustard</div><div>1/2 c smoked cheddar cheese**</div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Directions:</i></div><div>Preheat the oven to 375<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;">°</span>F for the bacon. While the oven is preheating, start making the waffle batter. In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sourdough starter, butter, scallions, mustard and cheese. Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir just until combined. Using the folding method to incorporate the ingredients works really well with this batter so as to not overmix! If it's too thick, add some water or milk to thin out. Let the waffle batter sit for about 10 minutes, until some bubbles start to form. In the meantime, preheat your waffle iron and then get that bacon started!</div><div><br /></div><div>Line a rimmed cookie sheet with heavy foil. (Trust me, use heavy duty or at least double your standard foil). Place a baking rack over the lined sheet tray.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>In a small bowl, whisk the maple syrup and pepper together. Dunk all of the bacon in the syrup until coated. Swirl it around until the bacon is dripping with goodness. Arrange the bacon slices on the rack so they don't overlap. Bake for 12-15 minutes.</div><div><br /></div><div>Back to the waffles. Give your batter a quick stir. Then pour enough batter for each waffle, about 1/3-1/2 cup depending on your iron size, and bake according to manufacturer's instructions.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>When the bacon timer goes off, flip the pieces over and bake an additional 10 minutes or until crispy.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Everything should be done at the same time, so plate up and enjoy!<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NfEhhaKI2pU/Udh8UGjmLcI/AAAAAAAAAY0/PiTU49FPGQM/s1600/P1050002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NfEhhaKI2pU/Udh8UGjmLcI/AAAAAAAAAY0/PiTU49FPGQM/s400/P1050002.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And if you have leftovers, make a pb&amp;j bacon waffle sandwich! The boy surprised me in the afternoon with this creation as a snack. He used PB&amp;Co's mighty maple peanut butter and blackberry jam. Yum!</div><div><br /></div><div>*When you feed your starter, save the amount that you pour out for these waffles!</div><div><br /></div><div>**I didn't have smoked cheddar on hand the first time I made these so I used standard cheddar...it needs the smoked! The waffles were just a little too cheesy without and didn't have enough smokey flavor.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div>Sam Mhttps://plus.google.com/111871624393356617461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-860808546313051634.post-91185969816550123972013-07-05T22:00:00.001-04:002013-07-06T16:04:10.040-04:00On The Side<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you're trying to up your veggie intake, I've got two words for you. Stir fry. This is a delicious way to get your colors in and it's light enough on the stomach to eat during this heat wave!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Grab your veggies of choice and cut them into bite-sized pieces, making enough for the amount of mouths you're feeding.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-94kCNMP35d4/Uc4siq4aw3I/AAAAAAAAAYI/Sd1RcA676jY/s1600/P10409532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-94kCNMP35d4/Uc4siq4aw3I/AAAAAAAAAYI/Sd1RcA676jY/s400/P10409532.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Heat some oil on medium heat and when hot, throw in the veggies. Let them cook down for awhile, say 7-10 minutes until they brown and become soft. Add in teriyaki sauce and <a href="http://www.otafukufoods.com/products/okonomi-sauce10-6oz.html" target="_blank">Okonomi</a> sauce to coat, about 1 Tbsp of each for 4 servings. Toss in some sesame seeds to toast as well. Make sure you stir constantly at this point so nothing sticks. Cook until all veggies are tender. Done.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DfSNQoOm-3E/Uc4si3P16uI/AAAAAAAAAYM/A_OWyGgK2Ug/s1600/P10409891.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DfSNQoOm-3E/Uc4si3P16uI/AAAAAAAAAYM/A_OWyGgK2Ug/s400/P10409891.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Sam Mhttps://plus.google.com/111871624393356617461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-860808546313051634.post-84098034988781767282013-06-27T21:49:00.000-04:002013-06-27T21:50:05.738-04:00It Isn't Rocket ScienceI am a big proponent of keeping things simple, not just in life but in food, too. That's the approach I've been taking with weeknight meals, care of my rude awakening into adulthood. Pair together what you have on hand and put something homey on the table - no matter how tired you are!<br /><br />We were all set to have stuffed clams, but then I remembered we had this lovely eggplant just hanging around the vegetable drawer. Match made in desperation heaven.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GVbriR1xfRk/UczrWo382QI/AAAAAAAAAXw/6KQk1vBE-cg/s1600/P10406002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GVbriR1xfRk/UczrWo382QI/AAAAAAAAAXw/6KQk1vBE-cg/s400/P10406002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lMyJ6zzT76o/UczrZFFkrvI/AAAAAAAAAX4/2uWA_VlEf04/s1600/P10406122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lMyJ6zzT76o/UczrZFFkrvI/AAAAAAAAAX4/2uWA_VlEf04/s400/P10406122.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>Clam-Stuffed Eggplant</b><br />Yield: 2 big servings<br /><br /><i>Ingredients:</i><br />12 Cherrystone clams<br />1 med-size eggplant<br />1/2 c breadcrumbs (I used a mixture of Italian-seasoned and Panko)<br />1 egg<br />1/4 c Parmesan cheese<br />S&amp;P<br />1/2 T garlic powder<br />1-2 T lemon juice<br />1/2 T Paprika<br />Olive oil<br />Parsley, for garnish<br /><br /><br /><i>Directions:</i><br />Look over your clams and discard any that are open and don't close when tapped. Scrub the shells to remove any outer grit and sand. Soak the clams in a large bowl of water. Add a 1/2 T flour to the water, which will make the clams purge any sand they have trapped in their shells. Steam the clams in a steamer pot or large pan just until they open, about 2-3 or 5-10 minutes, depending on the size of clam you use. Make sure you don't overcook the clams as they will be cooked further in the oven. Remove clams from pot and let cool, discarding any clams that don't open.<br /><br />While the clams cool, preheat the oven to 350<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">°</span>F and move on to prepping the eggplant. Wash the outside of the eggplant and slice vertically down the middle. Score the flesh of the eggplant, making sure you don't go all the way through the skin. Scoop out the innards and chop them into 1/2 in. cubes. By this time the clams should have cooled. Remove them from their shells and chop finely.<br /><br />Add all of the ingredients, except for the parsley, into a large mixing bowl and combine. Add more breadcrumbs if the mixture is too wet or more egg or lemon juice if it's too dry.* Fill the eggplant shells with the mixture and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with paprika and drizzle with olive oil to promote browning.<br /><br />Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until eggplant is tender. If eggplant browns too quickly, tent with foil about half way through. Remove foil tent and broil for the last 3-5 minutes to crisp everything up. Let stand 5-10 minutes to let the dish set. Garnish with parsley and serve with fresh lemon wedges.<br /><br /><i>*As you will find with my recipes, they are mostly a result of trial, error and winging it. Mix with your hands, go with your gut - wise words from my Momma.&nbsp;</i><br /><br /><br />Sam Mhttps://plus.google.com/111871624393356617461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-860808546313051634.post-47838841014399437812013-06-19T15:16:00.000-04:002013-06-19T15:16:20.883-04:00Some Like it HotI wanted to share the <a href="http://chasingafterthesun.blogspot.com/2013/05/eat-more-kale.html" target="_blank">kale</a> pesto recipe I was talking about earlier. It's a great way to mask a scary-to-some veggie in an unsuspecting way. This particular version has some heat, but <i>feel free</i> to omit the chilis if that's not your thing. Quite frankly, I could go either way with the peppers, but like I said, I've got some spice-loving friends and sharing is caring, right?<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Kale Pesto</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Ingredients:</i></div><div class="p1">¾ cup<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>kale leaves, torn</div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>¾ cup<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>packed fresh basil leaves</div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>½ cup<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>toasted pumpkin seeds, or walnuts or pine nuts</div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>2 tbsp<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese</div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>½ cup<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>extra-virgin olive oil</div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>3<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>cloves garlic, quartered</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>2 tbsp<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>lemon juice</div><div class="p1">1-2 red chilis, minced (optional)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Directions:</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="p1">Place greens in a food processor and pulse until broken up. Add in nuts/seeds and garlic; pulse a few times, then add in remaining ingredients and process until fairly smooth, or to the desired consistency, scraping down the sides occasionally. Remember to taste as you go!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nJAOc7frqMk/UbJzcT3ztiI/AAAAAAAAAVE/cw7W2CvCsCE/s1600/P1040414_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nJAOc7frqMk/UbJzcT3ztiI/AAAAAAAAAVE/cw7W2CvCsCE/s400/P1040414_1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hFXXCBUqQwU/UbJzjID0zVI/AAAAAAAAAVU/UuBJHUCZ7BI/s1600/P1040418_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hFXXCBUqQwU/UbJzjID0zVI/AAAAAAAAAVU/UuBJHUCZ7BI/s400/P1040418_1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Pesto freezes very well. Instead of chilling down an entire container when you are likely only going to need a small amount at a time, try freezing in ice cube trays. Once frozen, pop all of the pesto cubes into a Ziplock bag for compact storage and defrost only the amount needed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BiKqx9traVc/UbJzSYvixHI/AAAAAAAAAU0/b6yiHqa4p7A/s1600/P1040263_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BiKqx9traVc/UbJzSYvixHI/AAAAAAAAAU0/b6yiHqa4p7A/s400/P1040263_1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Sam Mhttps://plus.google.com/111871624393356617461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-860808546313051634.post-82027039660701990992013-06-13T20:29:00.000-04:002014-02-20T21:36:34.333-05:00When in Nanaimo...I never knew what the fuss was. Then I went there, and now I know.<br /><br />Nanaimo bars are a <i>sweet</i> treat. My goodness, these little bars are so decadent. This particular one is gluten free with a puffed rice and almond base from a <a href="http://www.monpetitchoux.ca/" target="_blank">quaint bakery</a>&nbsp;near the sea, and I have to say these trump the traditional oat-base. Wish I had a recipe to share!!<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-055AY5oqDr4/UbpjwBoCW9I/AAAAAAAAAXQ/yDkQMBqSAAU/s1600/P1040254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-055AY5oqDr4/UbpjwBoCW9I/AAAAAAAAAXQ/yDkQMBqSAAU/s400/P1040254.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div><br />Sam Mhttps://plus.google.com/111871624393356617461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-860808546313051634.post-28209274005672964172013-06-11T19:19:00.000-04:002013-06-11T19:19:21.633-04:00Panoramas and Poppies, Vancouver, BC<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0jpfLiLIIMo/UbevE6oyiuI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/fqD-dBj5MkE/s1600/VanPanorama1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0jpfLiLIIMo/UbevE6oyiuI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/fqD-dBj5MkE/s640/VanPanorama1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e9ejRmr27S8/UbevEy6jZmI/AAAAAAAAAWU/nVDOAeskhBA/s1600/VanPanorama2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e9ejRmr27S8/UbevEy6jZmI/AAAAAAAAAWU/nVDOAeskhBA/s640/VanPanorama2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PBNByoNUiE8/UbevFn7cTaI/AAAAAAAAAWk/CnfCGKvYPvk/s1600/VanPanorama3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="134" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PBNByoNUiE8/UbevFn7cTaI/AAAAAAAAAWk/CnfCGKvYPvk/s640/VanPanorama3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-irRYO0BHnUE/UbevtfdTvyI/AAAAAAAAAWs/i9ejbxk252I/s1600/P1040234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-irRYO0BHnUE/UbevtfdTvyI/AAAAAAAAAWs/i9ejbxk252I/s400/P1040234.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Sam Mhttps://plus.google.com/111871624393356617461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-860808546313051634.post-25909325187632856622013-06-10T21:49:00.000-04:002013-06-11T18:54:16.485-04:00Homemade Jam<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">I love jam. There is nothing more satisfying and smile-inducing than having a muffin or piece of toast spread with your own preserves. It’s comforting and delicious, and the fact that you know what ingredients are in it makes it all the more delectable. </div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">I grew up a grape jelly girl. Now, though, I’m opening up to other possibilities for use in various dishes and more importantly, I’m enjoying crafting my own flavors! </div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">This particular recipe is suitable for the refrigerator or freezer without going through the canning process. Because it gets expensive for me since I don’t live in an area known for its fruit-growing possibilities, I’ve only made small batches before and never felt the need to can, but do as you please!*</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Roasted Strawberry Refrigerator Jam</b></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ingredients</i>:</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><i>4 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><i>½ cup sugar, scant<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><i>2 tbsp balsamic vinegar or balsamic syrup<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><i>1 vanilla bean pod, split and seeds removed, or 1 splash of vanilla extract<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">⅛<i> - ¼ teasp ground cardamom</i></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Directions:</i></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">Toss the strawberries in a bowl with the sugar, balsamic, vanilla, and cardamom. Let stand 10 minutes so the flavors can marry. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 250<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Verdana; mso-symbol-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Symbol;">°</span></span>. </div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">Transfer the strawberries to a rimmed baking sheet or small roasting pan.</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">Roast for about 2 hours, until the berries are very soft and shriveled. Mix around once or twice as they cook.</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">Let the syrupy berries cool slightly. Pulse in a food processor or mash by hand with a potato masher to a chunky consistency. You ought to let the jam set up in the fridge, but there is no reason you can’t dip your little finger in now for a taste and bask in the glory that is this homemade goodness. Store in a closed jar or container for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer.</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4DbiZ778Cns/UbaBsPmC_mI/AAAAAAAAAVk/0_O_E0IDewo/s1600/P1040443_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4DbiZ778Cns/UbaBsPmC_mI/AAAAAAAAAVk/0_O_E0IDewo/s400/P1040443_1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">PS. Homemade jam makes for a lovely holiday gift especially when paired with some homemade bread or muffins! </div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">-----------</div><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>342</o:Words> <o:Characters>1950</o:Characters> <o:Company>WestConn</o:Company> <o:Lines>16</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>3</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>2394</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <!--EndFragment--><br /><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">*Ironically after I began brainstorming this post, I was introduced to canning by one of my dear friends. She lives just outside of Vancouver with access to farm-fresh flats of berries and vegetables and when I went to visit the other weekend she and I made an afternoon of canning. We sent our boys out to go see Star Trek and us girls stayed home to make jam! She taught me the process and I must admit there is something wonderful about making jars upon jars of one recipe. Miss you, Kristine!!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hYonOAX_lZc/Ubepz74PM3I/AAAAAAAAAV0/bHyfQ98LBSc/s1600/picture+238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hYonOAX_lZc/Ubepz74PM3I/AAAAAAAAAV0/bHyfQ98LBSc/s400/picture+238.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working on some ginger-rhubarb marmalade</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f649FQqTYfA/Ubep142EhzI/AAAAAAAAAV8/oQhjoEv9aNM/s1600/picture+2432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f649FQqTYfA/Ubep142EhzI/AAAAAAAAAV8/oQhjoEv9aNM/s400/picture+2432.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boys infiltrated our kitchen upon their return!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>Sam Mhttps://plus.google.com/111871624393356617461noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-860808546313051634.post-57030017711276596912013-06-08T13:10:00.001-04:002013-06-09T21:02:52.727-04:00A Girl's Gotta BakeI've been in a baking mood lately, and a snacky mood, for that matter. Hence the muffins.<br /><br /><b>Morning Glory Muffins</b><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">adapted from <a href="http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/whole-grain-morning-glory-muffins" target="_blank">Whole Foods' recipe</a></span><br />Yield: 8 jumbo or 16 regular-sized muffins<br /><br /><i>Ingredients:</i><br />1 1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour<br />1/4 cup + 2T cane sugar<br />1 T molasses<br />1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda<br />1 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />1/4 teaspoon salt<br />1/2 cup seedless raisins<br />2 eggs<br />1/3 cup coconut oil<br />1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />1 Granny Smith apple, cored, peeled and shredded<br />1/2 cup grated carrots<br />1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped<br />wheat germ, for topping<i><br /></i><i><br /></i><i>Directions:</i><br />Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; break up any brown sugar lumps with your fingers or a wooden spoon. Add in the raisins, coating them with the mixture so they don't sink to the bottom of the muffins during baking.<br /><br />In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, oil and vanilla, then add to flour mixture and stir just until combined. Add apples, carrots and walnuts and stir gently until well combined. <br /><br />Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin tins, filling each about 2/3 full. Sprinkle with wheat germ and bake for 15-20 minutes for regular-sized or 25-30 for jumbo, until cooked through.<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-46uCEmlxG1o/UbFBfSOvxrI/AAAAAAAAASs/XbZaXAemV2E/s1600/P1040344_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-46uCEmlxG1o/UbFBfSOvxrI/AAAAAAAAASs/XbZaXAemV2E/s400/P1040344_1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aVTzLZ7LvgY/UbFBf_2Q3LI/AAAAAAAAAS0/urmQRHTbMJQ/s1600/P1040354_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aVTzLZ7LvgY/UbFBf_2Q3LI/AAAAAAAAAS0/urmQRHTbMJQ/s400/P1040354_1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />I first tried Morning Glory muffins last year at a farmer's market. A bunch of cyclists were lined up for them after a Saturday morning ride and so I had to find out what all the buzz was about. I can see why these babies are their fuel of choice! They're delicious and nutritious. To be honest, I hadn't thought about this recipe until a few weeks ago when we were on the road early and made a pit stop for some breakfast. Bruegger's had a Morning glory bagel on special and I had to get it, slathered with peanut butter, of course. I couldn't stop thinking about it and so I had to go home and make the muffins myself.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_K7i0toMOk4/UbFBgCeC8YI/AAAAAAAAATA/BZOPQi9AL5A/s1600/P1040372_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_K7i0toMOk4/UbFBgCeC8YI/AAAAAAAAATA/BZOPQi9AL5A/s400/P1040372_1.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eGM8U3yBvcY/UbFBgTEtXDI/AAAAAAAAAS8/fFE7OJUwL28/s1600/P1040374_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eGM8U3yBvcY/UbFBgTEtXDI/AAAAAAAAAS8/fFE7OJUwL28/s400/P1040374_1.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /></div>Sam Mhttps://plus.google.com/111871624393356617461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-860808546313051634.post-12637997374818606452013-06-07T10:04:00.000-04:002014-02-22T20:49:25.696-05:00Farmer's Market Finds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I went to my first farmer's market of the season this week! What could be better than getting outside and checking out all of the local goods while chatting away with the farmers, artisans and bakers themselves? Oh yeah - sampling!! I love being able to learn about and try new foods direct from the source, and being a foodie, farmer's markets are for me like a toy store is to an eager child.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I flocked immediately to <a href="http://www.beltanefarm.com/" target="_blank">Beltane Farm's</a> table. They had an array of goat cheeses out to sample as well as a cooler full of goat milk yogurt. I tell you, it's not easy to find goat or sheep yogurt around here, so I was pretty stoked to see the single-serving yogurts alone. But once I tasted their chevre..my goodness, I was sold. I have <i>never </i>tasted goat cheese that creamy and luscious. I bought the herbed chevre and immediately dug in when I got home, putting them atop&nbsp;<a href="http://bespoke-provisions.com/" target="_blank">Bespoke crackers</a>.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QyDPNf-0W9E/UbFIHmLYwKI/AAAAAAAAAT8/xSqN8-KxOOU/s1600/P1040397_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QyDPNf-0W9E/UbFIHmLYwKI/AAAAAAAAAT8/xSqN8-KxOOU/s400/P1040397_1.JPG" height="247" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qfA6tZq3_J8/UbFFyaYnG2I/AAAAAAAAATs/HxqD5DxNY6s/s1600/P1040403_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qfA6tZq3_J8/UbFFyaYnG2I/AAAAAAAAATs/HxqD5DxNY6s/s400/P1040403_1.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Quick side note about these crackers. They were bought on a whim on vacation this winter and my cheese and cracker snob of a boy (and I mean that in the best way possible) deemed them the best crackers he'd ever eaten. That's some pretty high praise coming from him. They aren't just your average cracker, mind you -- these were oat-based and flavored with lemon and rosemary. Unique and absolutely delicious. So delicious, in fact, that when we got home with an empty bag, we went online and ordered six more. Don't judge. We ordered three more rosemary-lemons and we had to get the variety pack with the other two flavors to try.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iML1Byu_QAM/UdtsOFetzJI/AAAAAAAAAZM/MlMerQ4ahD0/s1600/DSC_0734.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iML1Byu_QAM/UdtsOFetzJI/AAAAAAAAAZM/MlMerQ4ahD0/s400/DSC_0734.jpg" height="400" width="267" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Anyway, back to the farmer's market. I truly enjoy seeing what types of foods people are crafting these days. One booth had flavored pumpkin seeds, another had homemade artisan trail mix. There were jellies and jams, pies, pestos, and salad dressings. I hope to be one of them one day!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9hG6IzikVP0/UbFFxKXMWrI/AAAAAAAAATU/IiN32edb48g/s1600/P1040380_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9hG6IzikVP0/UbFFxKXMWrI/AAAAAAAAATU/IiN32edb48g/s400/P1040380_1.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />Aside from the goat cheese, I also bought some more plants for my garden. And by garden I mean pots with soil that line the back of our house. The patch of land where I planted the flowers is so rocky I'm not sure they'll even grow well, but we'll see. The <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Moorefield-Herb-Farm/113097985433201" target="_blank">Moorefield Herb Farm</a>&nbsp;had a tempting display of herbs, fruits, vegetables and flowers.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MQGBLT-NMq8/UbFFxeIOcRI/AAAAAAAAATY/J69wploSB_s/s1600/P1040389_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MQGBLT-NMq8/UbFFxeIOcRI/AAAAAAAAATY/J69wploSB_s/s400/P1040389_1.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div><br />The Caribbean hot peppers initially caught my eye because of my spice-loving friends. It's supposed to be hotter than a habanero, which scares me a little, but it should make for some kickin' hot pepper jelly. Eesh. As I was perusing the rest of her table, the strawberries also caught my eye. I've never grown fruit before and I was reassured that the Alpine variety, in particular, should grow well in a potted environment because they're so tiny. After a quick trip to Home Depot, my new plants are all nestled in their pots awaiting the rains.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Sam Mhttps://plus.google.com/111871624393356617461noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-860808546313051634.post-89964528508057099072013-06-04T22:50:00.001-04:002014-02-20T21:35:39.429-05:00Small ChangesWe've all been there. Too tired, too busy, very empty fridge. If you've been neglecting your supermarket or have been in a food rut lately, I've got some good news for you. Small changes can make all the difference to your recipes and help you break out of your less than thrilling routine of eats and make quick work of a delicious meal.<br /><br />Let's talk lunch, the inspiration for this post. I started eating cafeteria food again thanks to my job, and when there aren't enough leftovers from the night before to bring in the next day, it results in me eating my fair share of sandwiches. Take the classic turkey and cheese, please, and check out my swaps.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Wheat bread --&gt;<span style="color: orange;"> Tomato-Basil wrap</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Mustard --&gt; <span style="color: #cc0000;">Red wine vinegar</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Deli Turkey --&gt; <span style="color: #f9cb9c;">Fresh roasted turkey</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Iceberg Lettuce --&gt; <span style="color: #6aa84f;">Arugula</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Tomato --&gt; <span style="color: magenta;">Leave it in and add some</span> <span style="color: magenta;">red onion</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Swiss cheese --&gt; <span style="color: #f1c232;">Sharp cheddar</span></div></div><br />Take out the bread, the filling and the condiment and envelop some fresh turkey in a flavored wrap and add in some bitter greens that have been dressed in red wine vinegar and you've got a delicious new twist on the lunch-time staple. I can't believe how much the vinegar does for this dish. It's so tangy and bright and really helps to boost the otherwise bland turkey.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9Xq5CHMBd6U/Ua0x57brDrI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/buUEvB6CDh8/s1600/wrap.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9Xq5CHMBd6U/Ua0x57brDrI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/buUEvB6CDh8/s400/wrap.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">With my lunchtime revelation out of the way, let's backtrack to breakfast. Probably the easiest way to make a bland breakfast into a morning must-have is the addition of herbs and spices. Eggs, for example, benefit greatly from some fresh or dried herbs. Whether you're having a quick scramble or hard boiled, try adding salt and pepper, for starters. If you like a kick, add some hot sauce or a ground pepper blend. Not an egg person? Try adding cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice or nutmeg to oatmeal, cottage cheese or plain yogurt. A dash of vanilla, some homemade preserves or a packet of flavored instant breakfast go a long way, too! Still attached to your beloved bowl of cereal and milk? Add some wheat germ and raisins. Trust me on this one!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WpIOR_wPUJY/Ua6m1Qh3K1I/AAAAAAAAARU/VYKIlMvcAWk/s1600/P10403282.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WpIOR_wPUJY/Ua6m1Qh3K1I/AAAAAAAAARU/VYKIlMvcAWk/s400/P10403282.jpg" height="400" width="335" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now dinner is probably the hardest meal for me to figure out. Don't get me wrong, I love trying out new recipes and whipping up something yummy, but food ruts do happen! I came across this article years ago and had the forethought to scan it in and save it. This list will be a lifesaver for any protein you plan on putting on the table.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YXMWqmEXt7Q/Ua57Fp5GWpI/AAAAAAAAARE/Bsi-ZyNzAbc/s1600/marinades.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YXMWqmEXt7Q/Ua57Fp5GWpI/AAAAAAAAARE/Bsi-ZyNzAbc/s640/marinades.jpg" height="640" width="432" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Sam Mhttps://plus.google.com/111871624393356617461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-860808546313051634.post-58800670459715793732013-05-30T22:04:00.001-04:002014-02-20T21:34:54.529-05:00Eat More KaleLast year around this time we started getting weekly boxes of produce, courtesy of our local CSA (community supported agriculture). It was the first time either of us had joined this type of program and we were both eager to give it a go. One of the major benefits, aside from supporting local farmers, is that we got the opportunity to try new things that we either had never seen before or didn't know what to do with so we never bothered to purchase. Unfortunately, since there were only two of us in the house, we just couldn't go through it all in time without giving some away, so we decided to forgo the CSA for this year and spend the money we would have allocated to that on farmer's market finds instead!<br /><br />Being the recipe nerd that I am, I documented what we made last year with our share of the produce, which I'll share on here from time to time. It kept us accountable for trying to use up all of our bounty, and looking back it was neat to see how innovative we got with our meals.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oCHZTS2Ywa4/UagCViPeLeI/AAAAAAAAAQk/cRAjMjuESiU/s1600/P1040260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oCHZTS2Ywa4/UagCViPeLeI/AAAAAAAAAQk/cRAjMjuESiU/s400/P1040260.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />A few weeks in a row we were "gifted" with bunches and bunches of varying types of greens. They went into soups and stir fries, salads of course, but then we had to get creative. Or should I say, <i>I</i>&nbsp;had to get creative. The boy doesn't touch things like kale at all and still makes a face when it's served.&nbsp;Does this sound familiar to anyone? I can't even say that it's because he's a stubborn eater -- he willingly tries way more things than I do. It's just something about this green that he can't get into. But I digress. If you enjoy something but can't get anyone else on board with you, start disguising it! Kale pesto and Spanikopita are two of my more proud creations. Those recipes are coming.<br /><br />For now I present to you quite possibly the easiest recipe (can I even call it a "recipe"?) to make kale more palatable for those up-turned noses.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k0WjDAhJIuE/UagAiQuAyOI/AAAAAAAAAQU/0h2woCUlXIc/s1600/P1040259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k0WjDAhJIuE/UagAiQuAyOI/AAAAAAAAAQU/0h2woCUlXIc/s400/P1040259.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-odE23eB3DoE/UZ1sQt1q8tI/AAAAAAAAAPc/Q6WBF6gUX98/s1600/P1040035_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-odE23eB3DoE/UZ1sQt1q8tI/AAAAAAAAAPc/Q6WBF6gUX98/s400/P1040035_1.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The secret ingredient!</div><br /><br /><b>Gingery Kale</b><br />Yield 2-4, depending on size of bunch<br /><br /><i>Ingredients</i><br />1 bunch toscano kale, washed, dried completely and torn into pieces<br />water or broth for steaming<br />1/4 cup ginger dressing<br />roasted garlic (if you have on hand) or a few dashes of garlic powder<br /><br /><i>Directions</i><br />Heat some canola oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high. Place the kale in the pan and saute until it has some color, about 3-4 minutes. Deglaze the pan with a little bit of water and about half of the ginger dressing. Put a lid on the skillet and steam until the kale wilts. Uncover the pan and add the remaining dressing and garlic. Continue to saute until the kale absorbs the dressing and there is no more liquid in the pan. There is no exact timing on this last part -- you could leave it in for a while if you forget! It will just have more roasty bits at the bottom.<br /><br /><br />Sam Mhttps://plus.google.com/111871624393356617461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-860808546313051634.post-14947714929599941592013-05-23T10:20:00.000-04:002014-02-20T21:35:15.302-05:00Something a Little Different<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We had our first grilled dinner of the season last night! Throughout the day I couldn't decide what country's cuisine I wanted to borrow from, the top two contenders being Mexico and India. I really wanted grilled corn with grated cheeses on top to accompany a lime and herb crusted filet of salmon. But then a sweet take on a curry sauce sounded really yummy for the fish, perhaps with some flat bread and patra on the side. Decisions, decisions.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the end I went with something really light as it was hot out and getting late; a simple prep on the fish, lime juice included, wilted gingery kale and grilled pineapple.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-adcXmZhCfBQ/UZ18RuiSGWI/AAAAAAAAAP8/OClbI7YTXm0/s1600/P1040028_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-adcXmZhCfBQ/UZ18RuiSGWI/AAAAAAAAAP8/OClbI7YTXm0/s400/P1040028_1.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div><br />I love grilling fruit come summertime. It's a little more fancy than just eating it plain and it makes a beautiful addition to the dinner table.<br /><br /><b>Grilled Pineapple</b><br /><b><br /></b><i>Ingredients:</i><br />1 pineapple, outer rind cut off and fruit cut lengthwise into spears<br />2 Tbsp cane sugar or sugar in the raw<br />a few dashes of cayenne pepper, depending on how hot you like it<br />1-2 tsp cinnamon<br /><br /><i>Directions:</i><br />Get your grill going on a medium flame. Meanwhile, soak some skewers in water so they don't char on the grill. Mix up the spices in a little dish and set aside.<br /><br />Skewer the pineapple spears and spray the grill with nonstick spray. Grill the pineapple for about 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Transfer the fruit to a plate and immediately sprinkle liberally with the cinnamon sugar mix. Or if you're impatient like me, pour it all out onto a plate and dredge the spears in it!<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5o39k_rqhwA/UZ18Tr8sOxI/AAAAAAAAAQE/AY-_jyi-HYk/s1600/P1040032_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5o39k_rqhwA/UZ18Tr8sOxI/AAAAAAAAAQE/AY-_jyi-HYk/s400/P1040032_1.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><script src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script>Sam Mhttps://plus.google.com/111871624393356617461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-860808546313051634.post-54232092200232889262013-05-16T20:55:00.000-04:002013-05-16T21:32:45.832-04:00In My GardenGood evening, all! I just came in from watering my freshly planted garden. This will be the first spring in the new place, so last week I bought some seeds and got to getting my hands dirty! In went some lavender, sunflowers and wildflowers.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ucpP9RJLUE4/UZVtr80TdNI/AAAAAAAAAO0/IcRX1kTnkoE/s1600/P1040016_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ucpP9RJLUE4/UZVtr80TdNI/AAAAAAAAAO0/IcRX1kTnkoE/s400/P1040016_1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><br />I tell you, I haven't found anything more therapeutic, not even yoga, than getting getting into the garden and taking care of what you put into the ground. Even the simple act of watering the plants is calming to me. I was so stressed out the other day I just couldn't wait to get home from work to tend to my flowers!<br /><br />My mom instilled in me an appreciation of gardening from an early age. I used to love sitting in the grass with my sketchbook and draw all of the beautiful flowers around me, and when the Candytuft went to seed, I would grab them by the handful and head off, sprinkling them around the yard. Flowers weren't the only thing that we grew, though. My mom always kept an abundant vegetable garden. She kept detailed notes on her garden and drew out her plots each year, noting what did well and what didn't so she could rotate crops and improve upon in the next year. Something to admire! I can't wait to have a large enough yard to get in a proper vegetable garden. For now, pots and barrels will have to do for some herbs and perhaps tomatoes and peppers!<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bzt4jR78KWQ/UZLmNZvVzCI/AAAAAAAAAOE/XemeAwJZkig/s1600/P1030892_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bzt4jR78KWQ/UZLmNZvVzCI/AAAAAAAAAOE/XemeAwJZkig/s400/P1030892_1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;">I can't wait until this scene has tall, colorful beauties in it!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><br /></span></div><br /><br />Sam Mhttps://plus.google.com/111871624393356617461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-860808546313051634.post-80754567526764709312013-05-10T13:38:00.000-04:002014-02-20T20:53:45.793-05:00Not Your Childhood Tuna Sandwich<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of my strengths in the kitchen is making good use of leftovers. I guess I tend to allow myself more creative freedom in my redo than I do with my first go-round. It's always a satisfying feeling knowing that you can make something out of seemingly nothing, like in the case of this tuna sandwich. &nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_qKA1cIV8gA/UYsGtkcHqPI/AAAAAAAAAH0/8gTCY8TP7as/s1600/P1030938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_qKA1cIV8gA/UYsGtkcHqPI/AAAAAAAAAH0/8gTCY8TP7as/s400/P1030938.JPG" /></a></div><br />During the week, I find it important to pack breakfast and lunches for us to take work. Something yummy and homemade, perhaps with a cute note tucked inside the bag to make sure there is at least <i>something</i>&nbsp;to smile about! But what happens when you don't have leftovers or cold cuts in your fridge and you really don't have the time during the busy day to step out for lunch? Then it's pb&amp;j to the rescue! Or ingenuity and a can or two of tuna that you forgot you had hiding away in your pantry :)<br /><br />I was all set to make some awesome pb&amp;j's one morning, my specialty, but then I remembered that illusive tuna just waiting to be put to good use. My Momma always taught me that you need something creamy and crunchy to make a good tuna fish sandwich, the standard for most being mayo and celery. Not in my kitchen! For one, I don't have celery in my fridge at the moment, and two, I've got some fruit that needs to be consumed.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span id="goog_1359173756"></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rAYFM25fRVo/UYsGwcKwq6I/AAAAAAAAAH8/OoTbuBLj0lY/s1600/P1030927_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rAYFM25fRVo/UYsGwcKwq6I/AAAAAAAAAH8/OoTbuBLj0lY/s400/P1030927_1.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u><b>Tuna Fish, redo</b></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yield: 2-3 sandwiches, depending on size</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Ingredients:</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 (5 oz) cans tuna fish (I tend to buy the ones packed in water or broth)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Something creamy, enough to bind the ingredients (~1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt +&nbsp;3 T of mayo&nbsp;+ 1 T&nbsp;Dijon mustard)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Something crunchy, enough to act as filler and flavor (1 small bunch grapes +&nbsp;10 whole cranberries +&nbsp;1 carrot, all chopped fine)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A splash of red or rice wine vinegar</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Arugula</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Bread of choice</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Directions:</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Mash everything together, through vinegar, in a bowl. Cut open your bread and top with arugula and tuna fish. Done.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What I love about this recipe is that you can used whatever you have on hand for the "something crunchy." The sweetness of the grapes balances the overall saltiness of the dish and makes it less fishy tasting, while the cranberries and arugula add a true punch of flavor from their bitterness and tartness. I've also paired apples with the cranberries in this recipe, which works just as well.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br />Sam Mhttps://plus.google.com/111871624393356617461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-860808546313051634.post-18810457496484236392013-05-04T21:11:00.000-04:002014-02-20T20:53:16.125-05:00Save the Sourdough!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>278</o:Words> <o:Characters>1588</o:Characters> <o:Company>WestConn</o:Company> <o:Lines>13</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>3</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>1950</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br /><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">Making sourdough at home requires a lot of trial and error. There are so many factors that lend to bread making alone, but adding in that crucial sour flavor component is a project unto its own. I’m no expert on sourdough yet, but I’m working on it. I had two different starters in my fridge, both of which I ordered <a href="http://www.sourdo.com/home/our-sourdough-cultures-2/" target="_blank">here</a>. San Francisco is the classic to which I could base my recipe against because it’s the most common, and Bahrain, which is said to be the most sour of them all. Go big or go home, right?</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mmtCqOFsGFk/UYWuu-RukRI/AAAAAAAAAHA/fUQN0YNm1SE/s1600/DSC_0042_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mmtCqOFsGFk/UYWuu-RukRI/AAAAAAAAAHA/fUQN0YNm1SE/s400/DSC_0042_1.JPG" height="427" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">So I’ve been experimenting with different recipes and methods and obviously with starters. My trainer’s wife, Theresa, even gave me 2 cups of hers to try, which has East coast water and air. But I haven’t found the sour I’m looking for, so no bread recipe to share yet. However, I will share this cioppino recipe, which pairs perfectly with all of this bread I have! Sourdough and this soup are like peanut butter and jelly, a San Fran match made in heaven. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PrA0Uf1NARs/UYWu19cIsmI/AAAAAAAAAHI/fp2PbTLdMLc/s1600/DSC_0074_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PrA0Uf1NARs/UYWu19cIsmI/AAAAAAAAAHI/fp2PbTLdMLc/s400/DSC_0074_1.JPG" height="427" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>178</o:Words> <o:Characters>1020</o:Characters> <o:Company>WestConn</o:Company> <o:Lines>8</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>2</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>1252</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> </div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpFirst"><b>Cioppino<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><i>Ingredients</i>:</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">1 med onion, finely chopped<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">1 lrg&nbsp;bell pepper, seeded and chopped<o:p></o:p><br />1/2 pkg cremini mushrooms, quartered (not traditional, but a nice addition)</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced<o:p></o:p><br />3 T vodka</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">1 bay leaves<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">1 tbsp dried oregano<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">1 cup&nbsp;wine (I’ve seen recipes call for either white or red)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">2 cups water or stock<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">1 cup&nbsp;clam juice<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">1 can crushed tomatoes (16 oz)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">1/2 lb mild white flaky fish, cut into 2 to 3-inch pieces<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">1/2 lb mussels, cleaned and beards removed<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">4 oz medium shrimp, peeled and deveined<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">12-16 littleneck clams<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">1 bunch basil and parsley, chopped<br />Sugar or milk, to taste (in case the tomatoes are too acidic)</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><i>Directions:</i></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes, Then add mushrooms and garlic and cook until they soften. Deglaze the bottom of the pot with the vodka. Next up, place in the bay leaf, oregano, wine, water, clam juice, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.<br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">Add the fish, mussels, shrimp and clams, in that order. Let cook, covered and undisturbed, until the clams and mussels have opened and the shrimp and fish are cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the lid and add basil and parsley. Taste the soup. If it's too acidic, add enough sugar or milk to taste. Spoon into bowls and serve with sourdough and a glass of wine. We made cheesy garlic sourdough to accompany and had 10 year old Clos du Val Cabernet Sauvignon, what could be better than that?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;">Alright, so with the recipe out of the way, it’s officially story time. Yay! When Hurricane Sandy was slated to hit down, I happened to be visiting with my parents for the weekend, so I just stayed when the rains came. It turned out that my apartment lost power and my neighborhood was subject to looting and gasoline rationing, so it was good thing I had a few extra outfits with me! When the boy was safely able to fly back east from his business trip, a few days after the storm had passed, he stopped at our apartment and piled all of the freezer foods that were still frozen into a cooler and came to cozy up with me and spend some time with my parents. The best part, aside from the fact that we were reunited - he saved the sourdough! I couldn’t believe he thought to check to see if they were still alive! I was touched, and a little more in love to say the least. Unfortunately, the San Fran starter died, but the Bahrain was as bubbly as ever!&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></div><br />Sam Mhttps://plus.google.com/111871624393356617461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-860808546313051634.post-71323913876906592322013-04-24T20:55:00.000-04:002014-02-20T20:53:01.223-05:00Meyer Lemon-adeToday's recipe comes courtesy of a thirsty jaunt on the elliptical at the gym. I had been sitting for most of the day at my desk and I just wanted to move! I went all out on that thing and worked up a thirst pretty quickly. That's when it hit me...lemonade! I've got a bag of Meyer lemons sitting in my fridge, waiting to be used in something yummy. There were plans for those lemons to be made into curd or a custard, but for one reason or another, those recipes just never were made. Such is life... hence the lemonade.<br /><br />It was so gorgeous and sunny out today, it actually felt like spring! Then on my drive home, it got progressively more cloudy and chilly and I kind of got a little depressed. Where did my sun go?? Thankfully, I had a bright, lovely glass of lemonade only minutes away to cheer me up! Take a look at that color, just like the sun. And a little purple umbrella is a nice touch, don't you think?<br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I6w_yaOVFuE/UXh9Ek4U9eI/AAAAAAAAAC0/qoTSzOvKTc4/s1600/DSC_09572.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Meyer lemon-ade" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I6w_yaOVFuE/UXh9Ek4U9eI/AAAAAAAAAC0/qoTSzOvKTc4/s400/DSC_09572.jpg" height="640" title="Meyer lemon-ade" width="424" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><b>Meyer Lemon-ade</b><br /><i>Based upon Ina Garten's <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/fresh-lemonade-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">recipe</a></i><br /><i>Yield: 1 1/2 quarts</i><br /><i><br /></i><i>Ingredients:</i><br /><div class="p1"></div><div class="p1">1 cup<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>freshly squeezed lemon juice , strained. (5 to 6 Meyer lemons)</div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>½ cup<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>superfine sugar, to taste</div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>1 cup<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>crushed ice</div><div class="p1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>4 cups<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>water</div><div class="p1"><i><br /></i></div><div class="p1"><i>Directions:</i></div><div class="p1">In a pitcher, combine all ingredients and stir. Adjust sugar to taste. &nbsp;Seriously, that's it. I told you it was simple!</div><br />So this is not just your average lemonade, it's Meyer lemon-ade. Meyer lemons have a deeper, sweeter, more pronounced flavor than your regular lemons. Let me tell you, they make for a fabulous beverage. This is such a simple recipe, one that begs to be homemade mind you, and you can tweak it to your taste. I don't have a huge sweet tooth, so I go a little light on the sugar, but feel free to use as much as you like. I believe Ina's original recipe calls for 3/4-1 cup of sugar.<br /><br />Sam Mhttps://plus.google.com/111871624393356617461noreply@blogger.com0